Backdating the Leopard 1A5

[KRK4m]

Some days ago @BillS  called backdating the Revell #03115 Leopard 1A5 to the early Leopard 1 standard a "relatively straightforward conversion".

Has anybody done this already? Or could somebody just outline the scope of work necessary to build an early 1970s Bundeswehr Leo 1 from the outstanding Revell kit mentioned above?

Cheers

Michael

 

[BillS]

When I did mine I would have worked from photos and information in an old Concord book Leopard 1 and 2 (which strangely makes no mention of the Leopard 1A2) and photos on the

Original Fahrzeuge "In Detail" website ( http://www.panzer-modell.de/referenz/in_detail/in_detail.htm ) which has various detail photos of both the Leopard 1A2 and 1A5. A Google search will turn up plenty of other photos.

 

The differences between the various Leopard marks can also be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopard_1#Leopard_1A2  .The instructions for Revell's 1 A5 are on Revell's downloadable instructions page (for some reason I can't post the link, but a Google search will turn it up. You want the instructions for kit 03115.)

 

What you need to do will depend on the mark you want to model. You could, I think, backdate the 1A5 back to a very close approximation of the original Leopard 1 by leaving off the side skirts (parts 35 and 36), the add-on armour on the turret (parts 65,66,70 and 71), the fire control system (part 83), the commanders periscope (part 84), and the extra armour on the gun mantlet (part 54). The smoke discharges will need to be attached directly to the turret in the appropriate position together with new equipment rails fashioned from wire to replace kits parts 72,73 and 76 (you could probably use parts 72 and 73 instead, but you would still need to make an extra pair).  You would also have to remove the moulded on racks for the ice cleats from the hull, replace the barrel (or remove the thermal sleeve from the kit part), scratch build a new commanders periscope (a bit like the old one, but smaller), the rectangular searchlight box that sits above the gun (though this was no always fitted) and the optical rangefinders that sit on either side of the turret just back from the mantlet (they were removed on the 1A5 and the apertures plated over, but it is obvious were they were).

 

An easier conversion would be to a 1A1.  This would still entail dispensing with the add-on armour for the turret, the extra armour for the mantlet, the fire control system and the commanders periscope, and you would still need to scratch build a replacement commander's periscope, and the optical rangefinders and searchlight box. But there is no need to replace the main gun or to remove the ice cleats from the hull.  The side skirts and the from the kit would also be fitted as per the instructions.  The smoke discharges and equipment rails would be fitted direct to the turret as above.  (If you look at photos of Revell's 1>35 kit of this version it will give you a good idea of what needs to be done).

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

 

Edited January 13, 2019 by BillS
Inaccuracy in original post re. add-on mantle armour.